If you prefer the classic window and button appearance, perform the following steps:
1.
Right-click anywhere on the main desktop screen and click
Properties
.
2.
Click the
Appearance
tab.
3.
From the
Windows and buttons
dropdown box, select
Windows Classic style
.
4.
To customize color, font, and other classic desktop options, click
Advanced
.
5.
When you have completed your appearance selections, click
OK
.
Clean Desktop Wizard
Another feature of Windows XP is the Desktop Cleanup Wizard. The wizard runs 7 days after you first start your computer and every 60 days after that. The
Desktop Cleanup Wizard first opens a dialog box informing you that there are unused icons on the desktop and asking whether you want to run the wizard. If
you elect to run the wizard, it places unused desktop icons in the folder
C:\Desktop Icons
.
The default for the Desktop Cleanup Wizard is on. To turn the wizard off:
1.
Right-click anywhere on the main desktop screen and click
Properties
.
2.
Select the
Desktop
tab and click
Customize Desktop
.
3.
In the
Desktop cleanup
options make sure that the
Run Desktop Cleanup Wizard every 60 days
box is not checked.
You can run the Desktop Cleanup Wizard anytime by following these steps:
1.
Right-click anywhere on the main desktop screen and select
Properties
.
2.
Click the
Desktop
tab and click
Customize Desktop
.
3.
Click
Clean Desktop Now
.
4.
When the
Desktop Cleanup Wizard
appears, click
Next>
.
5.
In the
Shortcuts
list, deselect any shortcuts you want to leave on the desktop, and then click
Next>
.
6.
Click
Finish
to remove the shortcuts and close the wizard.
The shortcuts are moved to the folder
C:\Desktop Icons
.
To access desktop icons removed by Windows XP, click the
Start
button, and then click
Dell Solution Center
.
Taskbar Grouping
The Windows taskbar is a row of buttons that typically displays across the bottom of the screen. The taskbar includes the
Start
button and a button for each
open application. (The taskbar also includes the Quick Launch icons and the notification area.) Windows XP groups multiple instances of the same application
on the taskbar. For example, if six instances of Internet Explorer are open, each displaying a button on the taskbar, Windows XP groups the buttons next to
one another on the taskbar. If space becomes an issue on the taskbar, Windows XP consolidates all the Internet Explorer buttons into a single button. When
clicked, that button expands to a menu of the six Internet Explorer active sessions.
Notification Area Cleanup
Over time, software icons tend to proliferate in the notification area, the area in the bottom right corner of the Windows desktop. Windows XP detects when
icons in the notification area are not being accessed and hides them. A caret, or chevron, button indicates that there are hidden icons that can be viewed by
selecting the button. You can also configure the notification area manually by right-clicking the taskbar, selecting
Properties
, and then clicking
Customize...
in
the
Taskbar and Start Menu Properties
window. For example, you may choose to hide the antivirus program icon because it is rarely accessed, but display
the audio volume icon because it is used frequently. The notification area cleanup feature is automatically enabled when the operating system is installed, but
you may disable it by unchecking
Hide inactive icons
in the
Taskbar and Start Menu Properties
window.
Files and Settings Transfer Wizard
The Files and Settings Transfer Wizard is used to migrate personal files and settings from one computer to another (for instance, when upgrading to a new
computer). Personal files include the documents, images, spreadsheets, presentations, and e-mail messages on your computer. User settings include display
properties, window sizes, toolbar settings, dial-up connections, Internet bookmarks, and so forth on your computer. The Files and Settings Transfer Wizard is
run on a source (old) computer to collect the data and is run again on the destination (new) computer to import the data. If the old computer is using an
earlier operating system, the wizard can be launched either from the Windows XP CD or from a diskette created on the new Windows XP computer. You
transfer the data to the new computer over a network or direct serial connection, or store it on a removable medium such as a floppy disk, Zip disk, or writable
CD.
To use the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard:
1.
On the new Windows XP computer, click the
Start
button, point to
All Programs
—
> Accessories
—
> System Tools
, and click
Files and Settings
Transfer Wizard
.
2.
On the
Files and Settings Transfer Wizard
welcome screen, click
Next>
.
3.
On the
Which computer is this?
screen, select
New Computer
, and then click
Next>
.
The
Do you have a Windows XP CD?
screen appears.
The Files and Settings Transfer Wizard guides you through the steps necessary to transfer user settings, personal files, or both to the new computer. If a CD
drive is not available, the wizard allows you to create a wizard diskette to run on your old computer.
NOTE:
The time required to collect and transfer data depends on the amount of data collected. Times can vary from just a few minutes to several hours.
